Jack Kelly in the Lead Up to the Largest Equestrian Event Ever Held in the United States of AmericaIf there were ever a gift most of us would dream of having, it would probably have a lot to do with time; you could avoid embarrassing situations, resurrect burnt dinners from the bin, take back those terrible things you said or did, pop the ball in the hoop when the whole crowd is cheering and there are 3 seconds to go, the list is endless. So how (knowing that this power will not be unveiled to him in the meantime), 3 years prior to the biggest equestrian event ever held in the US, does Jack Kelly actually feel? For those of you that don’t know yet – because soon there will be few left in the dark - Jack Kelly is the chief organizer of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to be held in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) in 2010. In his own words, he is the public face of the largest sporting event ever to hit Kentucky, set to unleash at least 600,000 spectators in the bluegrass state, not to mention the sales of millions of dollars worth of tickets and all this over a 16 day equestrian frenzy. While this may not be the first FEI World Equestrian Games (see notes to the editor), it certainly is the first to be held outside of Europe, and also the first to host the Para—Equestrian World Championships alongside. And while most of us would probably be feeling a little overwhelmed at this stage - Kelly is no stranger to large public demonstrations, his career has taken him to every major Olympics since 1986, countless destinations around the world and innumerable sit downs with some of the worlds top sporting and political figures. It is no secret that Jack Kelly is not a horsesport expert, however, he is undoubtedly one of the most experienced people when it comes to organizing large scale events. "With the equine expertise that we have in the United States Equestrian Federation and the Kentucky Horse Park, the political backing of both the city of Lexington and the state of Kentucky and the talents of all of our foundation members, Jack's talents will help make these games a complete success” said World Games 2010 Foundation Chairman Jim Host, “Jack's knowledge and expertise of the entire sports industry, both in the U.S. and around the world, along with his exceptional relationship with the Olympic community, is a tremendous asset”. Lest we say he comes very well prepared. Concretely, this will give rise to a new $38M Kentucky Horse Park Indoor Arena, a new Kentucky Horse Park Hotel and a new Outdoor Stadium that will have approximately 10,000 permanent seats and 20,000-25,000 temporary seats for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. It will be the first time that the FEI World Equestrian Games will be staged at a single venue as there isn’t another site in the world that has the facilities available at the Kentucky Horse Park. As far as competitors are concerned, more than 800 equestrians and 1,000 horses from 50 countries are expected, which in turn, will attract more than 1,000 international journalists and will be televised in 180 countries. Fifty of those countries will receive live coverage of the events. Just to make sure that everyone is aware of this impending animation – the 2010 Games Foundation last week launched a weekly radio show called the “The 2010 Countdown Show,” which airs Sundays from noon to 1:00 p.m. on Clear Channel’s 630 AM WLAP. “The 2010 Countdown Show” will focus on a range of equestrian sport issues, with specific emphasis on all aspects of planning for the 2010 Games. Who better than the man in the driving sea to take hold of the reins, indeed, Jack Kelly, will host the weekly program and will regularly feature in-studio guests to discuss the various aspects of preparing for the 16-day competition as well as other issues and events related to the Kentucky Horse Park. “The 2010 Countdown Show will be a fun and engaging way to keep the public informed on planning for the Games as well as many other related areas”, Jack Kelly added. The weekly show also will be heard via streaming video at www.feigames2010.org or directly from WLAP’s site at www.wlap.com. As a final curtain draw, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will be the last event Jack Kelly takes under his belt before he retires. The Games will cap a career that by 2010 will total 25 years (Kelly spent the first part of his working life as a Human Resources executive) and confirm his reputation as a thorough and well respected organizer. But with three years to go, Kelly is all too aware that he must stay ahead of the curve – time out of mind perhaps, but careful preparation at the fore. When one stops to take stock of all the elements at hand, such as large scale experience in organizing events, equine expertise and American hospitality, it was only a matter of time before the FEI World Equestrian Games made their way across the Atlantic. With little indication of the contrary, it would appear that Jack Kelly feels just fine. Notes to the Editor The World Games 2010 Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit corporation established to oversee the production of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010, the combined (8 disciplines) World Equestrian Championships. The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010 will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington from 20 September – 3 October, and will consist of the World Championships of the eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI): Show Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Reining, Vaulting, Endurance, and Para-Equestrian. This is the first time that Para-Equestrian is included in the programme. The first edition of the FEI World Equestrian Games dates to 1990. They are held every four years, two years prior to the Summer Olympic Games.